Cribbing device for graves



Dec. 1, 1931. M. v. WOLF 7 1,334,232

CRIB BING' DEVICE FOR GRAVES Filed Jun 21, 1928 llllllll awuemtoa M/LEF V- WULF' i atented Dec. 1, 1931 PATENT OFFICE MILES v. WOLF, or ASHLAND, 01110 CRIBBING nnvrcia FOR GRAVES .Application filed J'une 21,

My invention relates to a cribbing device, and my object in general is to provide a simple and satisfactory means'for shoring and supporting the sides of a newly-excavated grave or similar openings of fixed dimensions. To illustrate, in digging graves the work must proceed very frequently in loose soil or closely adjacent to other graves. Consequently the sides of the grave must be cribbed or shored while excavating takes place, and the cribbing or shoring must remainin place during interment proceedings while the bordering areas are occupied. The shoring or cribbing is then usually removed while the casket or rough box is in place and before the grave is filled. The present device is designed to facilitate all such proceedings, and to provide a cribbing which is not unsightly. It is particularly constructed so that it may be readily placed into position as digging of the grave proceeds, and so that it will not occupy much space in the grave when installed therein. It is also constructed to permit it to be readily disconnected from the walls and removed from the grave after the casket is lowered and the space or working room narrowed, all as hereinafter shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a newly excavated grave containing my improved cribbing devices. 2 is a sectional view longitudinally of one of the devices.

Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the devices, the respective sections beingfore-shortened. Fig. 4 is a cross section of the device online 4-4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a corresponding view of the extensible section, with the gear wheel removed. Fig. 6 is a side view of the gear wheel alone.

Grave openingsv are usually of greater length than width, and the longer sides are usually parallelwith and closely situated to other graves. The present device is designed more especially for cribbing the side walls, and two or more of such devices are used at each side when the grave opening is of any considerable depth. As all these devices are alike a description of one will suflice for the 1928. Serial no. 287,266.

others. Thus, two channeled bars or members 2 and 3, respectively, are telescoped or sleeved together to provide a fiat extensible cribbing device which may be readily ad'- justed to fit within grave openings of different lengths. This device is placed horizontall y against the side wall 4 of the grave opening at any desired distance below the top of the ground before the excavation is fully completed, and the outer ends of the sections A are then caused to penetrate the earthen end walls of the grave opening by forcingthe sections in opposite directions.

Each extensible member or section is made of a fiat strip of metal bent into channel form and also flanged, one member being smaller in cross section than the other member to permit it'to slide freely therein when telescoped together.

Preferably each extensible member embodies two sideflanges 55 to strengthen and make them rigid, and to connect them in telescoping relations. The outer end 6 of each channeled member may be pointed or beveled, to promote its entrance into the earth, but where the earth is loose and easily penetrated the end of each member'maybe square, especially when relatively thin steel is employed and a comparatively sharp or thin end edge is present. The depth of penetration of each end 6 into the earth wall is limited by a lateral projection 7 on each extensible member, which projection may be made of a separate piece of metal ailixed to the inner wall of the member, or a part of the-wall itself may be punched and pressed inward at right angles as shown in Figs; 2 and 3 to provide such a projection or wall abutting element. When two such extensible members are telesc'oped together their combined thickness is not any greater than a wooden cribbing device or plank, but being made of steel and telescoped and flanged as described they offer better protection and are less likely to bend or flex than a wooden plank. 7

The means for shifting two such extensible members in opposite directions, either outwardly tov extend the length or inwardly to shorten the device, is comparatively simple gear wheel isa and of a kind and character which greatly facilitates the placing of the device in the grave, including the operationv of penetrating the earthen walls. Thus, a border flange on one member, for example flange 5 on the outer member 2 may be provided with integral rack teeth 8 for a part of its length, or a separate rack bar may be riveted or welded to one channeled member.

The other extensible member, for example, inner member 2, may beprovided with a short round stud or shaft 9 opposite the rack teeth 8; A pinion or gear wheel 10 having a round recess or opening 11 on one side, is sleeved detachably upon the stud or shaft 9 so that the teeth on the wheel are in mesh with the rack teeth. The outer side of pinion or gear wheel 10 is provided with an angular stud 12 to which a crank handle, a ratchet wrench, or a lever may be readily applied. These different operating devices are not shown in the drawings, but obviously any one of them or any other suitablepowerapplying instrument may be used to rotate the gear wheel, the action of which on the two telescoped extension members, is as follows: i

Rotation of the gear wheel anti-clockwise causes the gear to travel along the rack teeth, thereby forcing the two channeled members apart lengthwise so that the outer ends thereof will penetrate the earth walls of the grave quite deeply and without much effort on the part of the operator. A clockwise rotation of the gears draws the two members together, and shortens the length of the device in as great a degree as desired so that it may be removed from the grave. As shown the removable part of the device, so that it may be used with any one of the several devices which line the side wallsof the open grave. x r r V W The hub of gear wheel 10 contains a springpresseddetent 15 whichengages the walls of an annular groove 16 on stud 9-, thereby preventing accidental displacement of the gear wheel when'power is applied. However, the wheel can be mounted and operated without the detent, and it may be rotatably mounted upon either one of the pair of extensible members, provided the co-acting member embodies rack teeth. Comprehending the improvement as thus shown and described, what I claim, is:

1. A cribbingdevice, comprising a pair of flat elongatedmetal pieces adapted to extend and lie in flat supporting engagement longitudinally against one side wall of a grave and also having end portions adapted to penetrate the end walls of the grave, and means associated with said pieces for forcing them in opposite directions with embedding and supporting effect within said end walls.

2. A cribbing device comprising a pair of flat elonga ed metal pieces, adapted to extend and lie in flat supporting en agement longitudinally against one side wa l of a grave and also having thin flat end portions adapted to penetrate the end walls of the grave, and means associated with said pieces for forcing them in opposite directions with embedding and supporting effect within said end walls.

3. A cribbingdevice comprising a pair of flat longitudinally re-enforced metal pieces adapted to resist lateral bending stresses while longitudinally supporting one side wall of a grave and also having-end portions adapted topenetrate the end walls of the grave, and means associated with said pieces for forcing them in opposite directions with embedding and supporting effect within said end walls. A

4.. A cribbing device comprising a pair of flat longitudinal flanged telescoped metal pieces adapted to extend and lie ,in'flat supporting engagement longitudinally against one side wall of a grave and also having thin flat end portions adapted topenetrate the end Walls of the rave, and means associated with said pieces or forcing them in opposite directions with embedding and supporting effect within said end walls.

5. A cribbing device for longitudinally supporting the sides 'of newly-excavated graves, comprising a pair of channeled members telescoped within each other having flat outside faces for longitudinal contact with one side of a grave, and power-applying means detachably connected to the inner sides of said members for shifting said members in opposite directions.

6. A cribbing device comprising a pair of longitudinally channeled members telescoped within each other having flat outside faces for longitudinal contact with one side of a grave and thin flat outer ends adapted to penetrate the end walls of a grave and in cluding means thereon adapted to abut against said end walls and limit the penetrating movements of said members, and powerapplying means detachably connected to the inner sides of said members for shifting said members in opposite directions.

7. A cribbing device, comprising a pair of telescopic flanged members having flat outer faces adaptedto lie in fiat longitudinal contact with the side wall of a grave and also having beveled outer ends for penetrating the end walls of said grave, and inwardly projecting stop portions contiguous to said beveled ends for limiting the thrust movements of said members, a stud shaft extending laterally from the inner member, a pinion rotatably and detachably supported upon said stud shaft, and rack teeth on the flange of the outer member andmeshing with said pinion for shifting said members longitudinally with respect to each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

. MILES V. WOLF. 

